Wikipedia:Main Page history/2012 November 21

the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

From today's featured article
The conservation of slow lorises, nocturnal primates in the rain forests of South and Southeast Asia, faces threats from deforestation, the exotic pet trade, traditional medicine, and the bushmeat trade. Five species of slow loris are listed as either "Vulnerable" or "Endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Their conservation status was originally listed as "Least Concern" in 2000 because of imprecise population surveys and the frequency in which these primates were found in animal markets. Because of their rapidly declining populations and local extinctions, their status was updated and in 2007 the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) elevated them to Appendix I, which prohibits international commercial trade. Local laws also protect slow lorises, but enforcement is lacking in most areas. Slow lorises are regularly smuggled and sold as exotic pets in Japan, the United States, and Europe. Their popularity is largely due to their "cute" appearance and highly viewed pet videos on YouTube. (Full article...) Recently featured: Windsor Castle – HMS New Zealand – Luke P. Blackburn Archive – By email – More featured articles...
Did you know...
From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that Mattheus Marinus Schepman's (pictured) most significant work is "The Prosobranchia of the Siboga expedition", a publication of 494 pages encompassing 212 genera and 1,467 species of snails and slugs? ... that netball in Wales had a national governing organisation by 1945, and between 1949 and 1976 the national team lost 28 times to England while not winning a single match? ... that the Russians are developing an airborne anti-satellite weapon called Sokol Eshelon? ... that the Trioceros laterispinis can only be found in one mountain range in the Eastern Arc Mountains? ... that al-Muwaffaq was the effective ruler of the Abbasid Caliphate for twenty-one years, sidelining his brother, the Caliph al-Mu'tamid? ... that in 1999 the diamond industry in Armenia provided about one third of the country's exports? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving perpetrator of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, is hanged after his mercy petition is rejected. In the East DR Congo conflict, the March 23 Movement seizes control of the provincial capital of Goma. Former Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader is sentenced to 10 years in prison for corruption. Israel launches a major military operation in the Gaza Strip, as hostilities with Hamas escalate. At least 50 schoolchildren are killed in an accident at a railway crossing near Manfalut, Egypt. Croatian generals Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markač are acquitted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Recent deaths: Bal Thackeray Syrian civil war – Wikinews – More current events...
On this day...
November 21: Armed Forces Day in Bangladesh 1918 – Polish troops and civilians began a three-day pogrom against Jews and Ukrainian Christians in Lwów (now Lviv, Ukraine). 1950 – Two trains collided near Valemount, British Columbia, Canada; the subsequent trial catapulted future Prime Minister of Canada John Diefenbaker (pictured) into the political limelight. 1974 – Explosives placed in two central pubs in Birmingham, England, killed 21 people and injured 182 others, and eventually led to the arrest and imprisonment of six people who were later exonerated. 1980 – Over 83 million people watched the Dallas TV episode "Who Done It" to find out "Who shot J. R.?". 2009 – An explosion in a coal mine in Heilongjiang, China, killed 108 miners. More anniversaries: November 20 – November 21 – November 22 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now November 21, 2012 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture

The original sheet music for "God Defend New Zealand", one of the two national anthems of New Zealand, the other being "God Save the Queen". Legally they have equal status, but "God Defend New Zealand" is more commonly used, and is popularly referred to as "the national anthem". Originally written as a poem, it was set to music as part of a competition in 1876. Over the years its popularity increased, eventually being named the second national anthem on 21 November 1977. The anthem has lyrics in both English and Māori, with slightly different meanings.

Composer: John Joseph Woods; Restoration: SMasters

Recently featured: International Space Station – Knut Steen – Near-elegant frog shell

Archive – More featured pictures...

Other areas of Wikipedia

Community portal – Bulletin board, projects, resources and activities covering a wide range of Wikipedia areas.
Help desk – Ask questions about using Wikipedia.
Local embassy – For Wikipedia-related communication in languages other than English.
Reference desk – Serving as virtual librarians, Wikipedia volunteers tackle your questions on a wide range of subjects.
Site news – Announcements, updates, articles and press releases on Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation.
Village pump – For discussions about Wikipedia itself, including areas for technical issues and policies.